‘Let her speak’: Fans of author Dolly Alderton disappointed after male host ‘hijacked’ her live Melbourne show

Melbourne fans of best-selling author Dolly Alderton were miffed after the male host of the live show, Hugh van Cuylenburg, “hijacked” the conversation.

Fans of Dolly Alderton’s Melbourne show expressed anger that it was ‘hijacked’ by the man facilitating the interview. Picture: Supplied

Fans of English author Dolly Alderton were left disappointed and angry after her Melbourne show was “hijacked” by the man facilitating the interview, podcaster and motivational speaker Hugh van Cuylenburg.

Speaking at Hamer Hall on Thursday evening, the internationally best-selling author was there to talk about her career and spruik her latest novel Good Material.

Prior shows, hosted by the Shameless podcast team, author Hannah Ferguson and Yumi Stynes respectively, were roaring successes – but some fans felt Alderton could not get a word in edgeways with Mr van Cuylenburg.

Fans began heckling Mr van Cuylenburg when they felt it was time for him to allow Ms Alderton to speak. Picture: Instagram

One attendee told the Herald Sun fans started heckling Mr van Cuylenburg, yelling at him to “let her speak” and groaning as he continued talking.

“I reckon he spoke more than Dolly did, which was really disappointing because she’s known around the world for how profound and amazing she is,” the attendee said.

“He might have been nervous, because she’s so prolific – which is fine – but at the end of the day, she is who everyone paid to hear, not him.”

She said during the intermission, everybody was discussing how Mr van Cuylenburg had “monopolised” the conversation.

Alderton is a beloved internationally best-selling author, known best for her memoir Everything I Know About Love. Picture: Instagram

“I definitely don’t feel angry about it, it’s just disappointing. Hugh is really well-known for being anti-toxic masculinity so I think his heart is in the right place, he just didn’t read the room.

“It was nearly all women in the audience, paying to listen to another incredible woman talk about her career, and instead we were kind of forced to listen to a bloke talk all night about his random stories.

“It was still a good night, it was just awkward and low-key really disappointing,” she said.

Alderton has been undertaking a tour of Australia to discuss her body of work, including her wildly popular memoir Everything I Know About Love.

She also writes a column for The Sunday Times in the UK.

Mr van Cuylenburg’s management was contacted for comment.